Posts from 2023 (Page 2)
As Simple as Opening a Door
As my day began, I picked up my morning coffee and prepared to start a full day at the church. But first, I stopped by the post office, having received an update the night before that a package was waiting to be picked up. As I entered the post office, I noticed a man walking through the parking lot and towards the building. He carried a large box wrapped tightly with packaging tape with a mailing label on the side. The box…
Holy Persuasion
The art of persuasion is a powerful tool to bring about positive change, promote social progress, and advance ideas and beliefs. However, today’s digital age has created a new landscape for persuasion that requires careful consideration and ethical reflection. Worldly persuasion can become a means of influencing public opinions, often without regard for ethical considerations or the well-being of others. This approach is frequently associated with manipulation, coercion, and dishonesty. It can negatively affect individuals, families, society, and the church.…
A New Life and A New Name
Many years ago, we were on a camping trip when our site was visited by this hungry, shy, but sweet dog. This dog had no tag and stayed around us the whole time, and it was apparent she didn’t have a home. We fell in love with her right away. On the morning we prepared to return home, I wrapped this dog in a sheet and carefully placed her in our vehicle. The next day we took her to the…
Giving Your Best Effort
The Admiral asked the young officer if he had given his best effort in his studies at the Naval Academy. Though he graduated fifty-ninth in a class of eight hundred and twenty, he instinctively knew he could have done better. “No, sir, I didn’t always do my best.” The Admiral followed up with this question: “Why not?” Silence, conversation over. Those two words became a game changer in the young man’s life. The young naval officer? Our thirty-ninth president, Jimmy…
A Face in the Crowd
In 1957, a motion picture was released called “A Face in the Crowd.” Andy Griffith starred as a drifter who became famous on a national television show. The phrase “a face in the crowd” typically means a person who is not noticeable among a large group. They just blend in with the crowd. The movie follows the struggles of this drifter, known fittingly as “Lonesome” Rhodes. He is suddenly thrust into the spotlight and has to learn how to…
Finding Peace of Mind
Though we all seek to have peace of mind, finding it can often be difficult, especially in times of uncertainty. Fortunately, the Bible provides comfort and security, reminding us that the foundation of having peace comes from a trusting relationship with our Creator. It is a sense of security and the calm assurance that He is always with us. Drawing on the wisdom of scripture is an excellent source of comfort, providing us with a sense of calmness and understanding…
Celebrating Unity in Our Diversity
The Christian faith is diverse and beautiful, reflecting the many faces of God’s creation and recognizing the unique contributions of all people. By honoring and respecting all people, regardless of their background, race, or beliefs, understanding our diversity is an invaluable asset that can help foster understanding, cooperation, and mutual respect to create an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion. Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.” – Mahatma Gandhi By…
The Power of Compassion
The saying goes, “If you want to understand someone, walk a mile in their shoes.” In other words, this is a call to practice empathy. Empathy is not only a crucial part of being a good Christian, but it is also a powerful tool for deepening our relationships with others. It’s about being understanding, compassionate, and willing to go out of our way to show kindness to those around us. So, let’s explore what biblical empathy is, the importance of…
Doing Good by the Words We Speak
We’ve all heard the saying, “think before you speak.” But what if we took that a step further and applied it to our spiritual lives? The Bible teaches us many things about living; one of the most important lessons is our word usage. John Wesley was an influential figure in the 18th-century Christian revival known as the Methodist movement. He believed that everyone, regardless of their social class or status, should have access to the power of the gospel. In…
Love All, Serve All
One of my favorite places to visit is the Hard Rock Café. It’s not so much the food as it is the atmosphere. Music has always been one of my passions. The restaurant walls are packed with historical memorabilia from the music world. A visit is always scheduled whenever I’m in a city with a Hard Rock Café. But the thing I appreciate the most about the Hard Rock Café is the motto that you’ll find plastered in big letters…
The Gift of Laughter and Joy
Laughter and joyful happiness have many great benefits; they are integral to life. Besides the physical and emotional benefits, happiness can help us build resilience and boost our mood by allowing us to stay positive in challenging situations. When we laugh, it can help us see the lighter side of life by encouraging us to approach life positively. Living a joyful life even helps us think more creatively. While laughter and joy are two of the most treasured expressions of…
Navigating Through Challenges
A small sign in my office says, “This Ain’t My First Rodeo.” After thirty years of pastoral ministry, there is little I hadn’t seen or heard. Or so I thought. No one was prepared for a worldwide pandemic. This solidifies the following truth: Challenges will always be with us. But it’s essential to learn how to work through them in a healthy manner. And while we can’t always control what comes our way, we can manage how we respond. The…
Simplicity is a Precious Gem
Christianity is a simple faith that does not require complex rules or deep theological knowledge. At its core, Christianity is about loving God, loving our neighbor, and loving ourselves. Jesus’ teachings are truly easy to understand and can be applied to our lives today. There is nothing extraordinary required of us as Christians. We don’t need to be experts in the Bible or have our lives in perfect order to have a relationship with God. Following Jesus is a journey…
Bringing Balance Into Our Lives
When we think about bringing a sense of balance into our lives, we tend to imagine a life divided into various categories. It’s trying to think of life as a pie. One slice would be your career, and another would be your family life. Then another component would be your social life, and yet another section would be your recreation life. You also have a section covering your secret life, those compulsions, addictions, and those things that nobody else knows…
Never Stop Learning
When I was a kid, growing up in the church, we didn’t have all these audio/visual tools. We didn’t have screens in the sanctuary to follow the songs’ words or show videos and pictures. And our world has developed to become very high-tech during our lifetime. Thinking back to the 1960s when I was in children’s church, I remember Miss Edenfield was my teacher. She would teach using these little biblical characters that she would pin to a bulletin board.…
Determined To Do What is Good
The Apostle Paul learned that determination was one of the most significant characteristics of his ministry. He understood that circumstances would require him to be an example by holding his ground and taking a moral stand. For Paul, this was the DNA that made up his commitment to fulfilling God’s call in his life. When confronted with those moments of decision that tell you to take a pass and do what is comfortable and safe, the word determination says, “No,…
Not Caring Who Gets the Recognition
Do you remember the Underdog cartoon? Perhaps I’m dating myself here, but Underdog was a superhero who always saved the world from a host of villains. And when he wasn’t saving the world, he had a different occupation. He was a shoeshine boy. The voice at the show’s beginning would say something like, “One of the city’s most humble and lovable characters … was shoeshine boy.” After shoeshine boy completed his task, the customer would toss him a coin, pat…
The Choice to Fine-Tune Your Priorities
Have you ever wanted to transform a demanding situation into something easier to cope with? There is a way. You must intentionally choose, and it is a choice, to focus your priorities on the relationship you have with God and the calling He has placed upon your life. Let me share some meaningful ways you can fine-tune your priorities away from the many distractions you face every day. First of all, make God’s Word a priority. God has given us…
Kindness is Kind of a Big Deal
The other morning, I was in the drive-through line to get my coffee. And a lady drove up from the opposite direction, and so I let her in line ahead of me. It wasn’t a big deal or anything. But when I got to the drive-through window to pay for my coffee, she had already paid for it in appreciation for letting her in front of me — pretty cool stuff. And so, I then paid for the person behind…
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